No, they're not the Addams Family. They're a collection of dolls at the Mattapoisett Historical Society.

There's a baby-faced (and blond) George Washington. To his left is a dazed-looking Martha Washington. Elsewhere, a surprised young girl of German origin reclines. Consensus? Definitely a little creepy.

That's exactly what the Historical Society is going for. The trio of 19th and 20th-century dolls are surprising fan favorites at the Mattapoisett Historical Society.

Whenever a group of elementary school students tours the Historical Society's building, vice president Kyle DeCicco-Carey says that "at least one" is mesmerized by the museum's collection of dolls.

"They're spooky, and a little creepy sometimes," he said of the dolls.

Seeing the interest the dolls garner, though, an idea clicked in DeCicco-Carey's head. He was taking a museum studies course, he said, where the idea was to create a small website devoted to a unique collection. "I thought, why not the dolls? It's Halloween and everyone notices them," he explained.

He showed the site he created to fellow members of the Historical Society, who were enthusiastic. From that was born a new idea; a contest.

A partial collection of the Historical Society's "creepy" dolls are up on DeCicco-Carey's website, www.creepydollsofmhs.wordpress.com, where information about each one has been posted.

Until November 15, readers can vote on the doll they think is the creepiest (or the cutest), by commenting on the website, sending an email to info@mattapoisetthistoricalsociety.org, or "liking" the photo on the Historical Society's Facebook page (search "Mattapoisett Historical Society"). After the 15th, the winning doll will become the Historical Society's new "mascot."

"It's a form of outreach," said the museum's curator, Jeffrey Miller. "People connect with that image."